Vollering powers to European women's road race title / Photo: JEFF PACHOUD - AFP
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Vollering powers to European women's road race title
Dutch rider Demi Vollering produced an irresistable series of attacks before soloing to victory in the women's road race at the European championships in France on Saturday.
Vollering broke away with 38km to go, finishing 1min 18sec ahead of Poland's Kasia Niewiadoma, who dominated a sprint for second with another Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen.
Vollering said she was very proud to win the jersey for the team: "I can't wait to wear it in a race," Vollering said of the white jersey with blue stars that she will wear for a year.
Dutch riders have won the women's European road race title in nine of the 10 editions.
A week after rank outsider Magdeleine Vallieres of Canada pulled off a surprise win in the world championships in Kigali, Vollering, seventh in Rwanda, closed the door to any surprises.
A trio of Dutch riders set a hard uphill pace before Vollering produced a surge which only Niewiadoma, Van der Breggen and Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini could even attempt to match.
But after breaking away solo, the 28-year-old Vollering never faltered over the final two hills and picked up her 11th win of the season.
Results:
1. Demi Vollering (NED) 2hr 57min 53sec, 2. Kasia Niewiadoma (POL) at 1:18, 3. Anna van der Breggen (NED) 1:24., 4. Elise Chabbey (SUI) 2:31., 5. Franziska Koch (GER) same time, 6. Juliette Labous (FRA) s.t., 7. Mavi Garcia (ESP) s.t., 8. Antonia Niedermaier (GER) 3:08., 9. Cédrine Kerbaol (FRA) 4:38., 10. Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) 4:42.
O.Leclercq--JdB
